Beton Hala waterfront Center competition proposal

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Beton Hala waterfront Center competition proposal

Type

Commercial › Office Retail Exhibition Center
Hospitality + Sport › Restaurant
Cultural › Gallery Cultural Center

Background and context

Belgrade, even though a city with two rivers, never managed to establish a quality rapport with them in the old part of town. Such relationship to the rivers was largely conditioned by the historical heritage, as Belgrade, for the most part of its multi-millennial existence, was a border city on the Sava and Danube rivers. It is no wonder then, that in the immediate vicinity of these beautiful rivers, at their confluence, a fort is rising – Kalemegdan, as a watch tower. The attempts to “bring Belgrade down” to the riverbanks, but except the somewhat successful union on the side of Novi Beograd (New Belgrade), every one ended up at the level of numerous competition designs and concept.

General concept of architectural design
Design approach was self-imposed, it dictated that the area should be treated as an integral part of the inherited natural and physical environment blending into it. The form thus simultaneously resulted from the function and the preset simple linear forms of inclined park-pedestrian ramps which are simultaneously the roof planes of the facility. The interwoven elements of formal function and the environment resulted in the structure appearing as a silhouette with transparent surfaces embedded in the extension of Kalemegdan as if this unobtrusive structure has always been in this place as an integral part of the environment.